Entries in Luck
(3)

HBO/Time Warner(LOS ANGELES) -- HBO has been sued by a former employee of the American Humane Association, who claims she was fired by the group after she complained about the abuse of horses on the set of the cable network's short-lived 2012 series Luck.

According to TheWrap.com, Barbara Casey alleges in her lawsuit that producers of the horse racing drama ignored cases of abuse observed by the AHA on the set. The complaint states that some horses were drugged, and underweight and sick horses were put to work.

The lawsuit alleges that Casey repeatedly complained to the AHA and Luck's producers about the horse abuse and that she urged the AHA to notify the authorities. The suit claims, "AHA bowed to political and financial pressure and refused to report the Production Defendants' conduct to the authorities."

It also claims the AHA told its reps not to document the death of one horse because it was killed during a production hiatus.

Casey says she was fired by the AHA last January due to her complaints.

The wrongful termination lawsuit, which was filed Monday in Los Angeles and names the AHA as a defendant, seeks a maximum of $10,000 for each alleged labor code violation, plus unspecified damages.

HBO tells TheWrap.com in a statement, "We took every precaution to ensure that our horses were treated humanely and with the utmost care, exceeding every safeguard of all protocols and guidelines required of the production."

Luck, which starred Dustin Hoffman, was cancelled after a few episodes due to the deaths of multiple horses during production.

Gusmano Cesaretti/HBO(NEW YORK) -- HBO's Luck has run out. The cable network announced Wednesday it has cancelled the freshman horse racing drama after it recently experienced its third horse fatality during production.

HBO said in a statement, "While we maintained the highest safety standards possible, accidents unfortunately happen and it is impossible to guarantee they won’t in the future. Accordingly, we have reached this difficult decision."

Executive producers Michael Mann and David Milch said, “The two of us loved this series, loved the cast, crew and writers. This has been a tremendous collaboration and one that we plan to continue in the future.”

It was reported earlier this week that a third horse was euthanized after suffering a head injury when the crew tried to remove it from a stable.

Earlier this year, following the deaths of two horses that raised concerns from the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and the American Humane Association, HBO implemented new safety guidelines for Luck.

Luck, which premiered in late January, starred Dustin Hoffman and told the stories of owners, jockeys and gamblers involved in horse racing.

Steve Schapiro/HBO(NEW YORK) -- The HBO drama Luck, starring Dustin Hoffman in his first-ever major TV role, premieres this Sunday night at 9:00 p.m. Eastern time. The series explores the world of horse racing -- not just the horses and their owners and jockeys, but also the gamblers who have a stake in the outcome of the races. Hoffman plays an ex-con involved in the sport.

Luck also stars Dennis Farina and Nick Nolte. The show is brought to you by The Insider director Michael Mann and Deadwood creator David Milch.